Practice golf ball



April 28, 1959 c, MINER 2,884,254

' PR/ACTICE GO'LE BALL filed May 2, 1955 IN VEN TOR.

CLEMENT P M/A/f/P 2,884,254 [Ce Patented Apr. 28, 1959 PRACTICE GOLF BALL Clement P. Miner, Stamford, Conn.

Application May 2, 1955, Serial No. 505,177

12 Claims. (Cl. 273-183) This invention relates to golf balls, and in particular to a golf ball to be used in putting practice.

In order to putt accurately it is necessary that thehorizontal line across the face of the club head through the point where the club face meets the ball, be positioned, at the moment of impact, in a plane perpendicular to the intended path of the ball. It is not essential that the face of the club be positioned in this same plane. Moreover, it is important that the direction of movement of the club head, at the moment of impact with the ball, be along a path lying in the same vertical plane as the initial portion of the intended path of the ball. It is not essential that the club head be moving at the moment of impact in the same direction as the intended path of the ball; that is, the movement of the club 'head may include a vertical component with respect to the path of the ball. Thus, it is held by many of the more skillful golfers that the club head at the moment of impact should have a slight upward movement, thus imparting a forward rolling motion to the ball. Acceptance of this system of stroking the ball when putting has perhaps arisen because the distance which the ball travels is slightly less affected by variations in the texture of the green and because it permits better control of the ball.

When practicing putting it is very difficult to determine when one has correctly stroked the ball, because in any particular instance two or more errors may tend to compensate. For example, the player may mentally miscalculate the transverse roll of the ball but deliver a successful putt because the ball was stroked improperly.

If the ball is stroked properly it should roll forwardly from the club head, and each point on the surface of the ball should remain in a plane parallel to the intended path of the ball. It is difficult to determine, however, by visual observation of the rolling ball whether this latter condition exists.

Accordingly, I have provided a modified golf ball having axially aligned projections on opposite sides of the ball, and which when used to practice putting clearly shows, while the ball is moving, whether it has been properly stroked.

Figure 1 shows a cross section of a conventional golf ball modified to incorporate my invention;

Figure 2 shows a modified arrangement in which the visual indicator projections are cemented to the outer surface of the golf ball;

Figure 3 shows still another arrangement in which the visual indicator projections are formed by a single pin extending through the golf ball.

Figure 4 shows still another arrangement in which the visual indicator projections are screwed into opposite sides of the golf ball, and in which the projections are provided with head portions.

As shown in Figure 1, a conventional golf ball 2 is provided with visual indicator projections 4 and 6 arranged in axial alignment and projecting from opposite sides of the golf ball. These projections may be formed,

for example, of short lengths of plastic rod press fitted into openings drilled in the golf ball. The dimensions of the projections are not critical but typically may be from A3" to 7 in diameter and may project from the ball a distance of A" to /z". Preferably, these projections are colored, for example, red or black so as to provide a contrast with the white coloring of the ball.

In use, the ball 2 is positioned on the putting surface with the projections 4 and 6 in a first plane parallel to the putting surface and in a second plane perpendicular to the intended path of the ball. If the ball is then stroked correctly with the putter, the ball will roll along the putting surface with the projections 4 and 6 remaining at all times in the plane parallel to the putting surface. However, if the ball is stroked incorrectly the projections 4 and 6 will appear to wobble, thus giving a clear indication that the ball has been incorrectly stroked.

If a substantial component of transverse spin has been imparted to the ball, either of the projections 4 or 6 may strike the putting surface, completely disrupting the linear movement of the ball and demonstrating to the student of the game that his swing is incorrect.

The projections may obviously be of varied shapes and may be formed in any desired manner. For example,

,in Figure 2 the projections 4A and 6A are substantially conical in shape and have a concave base which is cemented to the outer surface of the golf ball 2.

In Figure 3 the projections 4B and 6B are formed of a single length of rod which extends axially through the golf ball. This rod can be formed of plastic, metal, wood or other material.

In Figure 4 the axial projections 4C and 6C are provided with screw threads, as at 8, which fasten the projecting members to the ball. In addition, the projections 40 and 6C are provided respectively with heads 10 and 12 which, for example, may be in the form of disks forming a head much like a nail head. With this arrangement these heads 10 and 12 will strike the putting surface even though less wobble is imparted to the ball than would be necessary with the configurations shown in Figures 1 through 3. Alternatively, the head portions 10 and 12 may assume other shapes. For example, the head may comprise merely a cross bar secured to the end of the projection and extending transversely from it in either one or two directions, so that the projection is either T or L-shaped.

In order to achieve the maximum effectiveness in putting practice, I prefer to form my practice ball from a conventional golf ball, but a simulated golf ball can be used if desired so long as it has approximately the same weight and dimensions as a conventional golf ball. The conventional golf ball is constructed of a core material, which in some instances is liquid, and which is surrounded by a resilient material, ordinarily a winding of rubber thread under tension, enclosed in a tough impervious cover. If a simultated golf ball is used, it is desirable to simulate as closely as possible the resilient characteristics of a conventional golf ball.

It will be clear that a single projection may be used, but it is more difficult to properly position the ball, and is more difiicult for the beginner to stroke such a ball correctly as it does not give him the maximum guidance for positioning his club head perpendicularly to the intended path of the ball.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a practice golf ball well adapted to achieve the aims and objects hereinbefore set forth, and which may be modified in a number of different ways in order to best suit it for the particular conditions of use.

I claim:

1. A golf ball for use in the practice of putting comprising a ball having an interior winding of rubber thread under tension and a tough impervious cover adapted to be struck by a golf club and having at least one radial projection extending from the surface of the ball, said projection being free of outside attachment, whereby it can be determined during the rolling of the ball across the putting surface Whether it has been correctly stroked.

2. A practice golf ball as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projection is of a color contrasting to the color of the golf ball.

3. A golf ball as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pro jection extends through the surface of the golf ball into the interior.

4. A golf ball as claimed in claim 1 having a second projection extending from the opposite side of said ball in axial alignment with said first projection, said second projection also being free of outside attachment, both of said projections projecting from the ball a distance lying in the range from A to of an inch.

5. A golf ball as claimed in claim 4 wherein said projections are formed of separate members adhesively secured to the outer surface of the golf ball.

6. A practice golf ball as claimed in claim 4 wherein said projections are formed of a single rod extending through the ball.

7. A practice golf ball as claimed in claim 4 wherein said projections are formed by separate members having threaded portions extending into the ball.

8. A golf ball as claimed in claim 4 where each of said projections is provided with a head member extending transversely with the axis of the projection.

9. A practice putting ball for use in practicing putting comprising a golf ball having a core, resilient material surrounding said core, a tough impervious cover enclosing said resilient material adapted to be struck by a golf club and having added thereto a pair of visual indicator projections comprising axially aligned elongated members extending outwardly from opposite sides of said golf ball, whereby it can be readily determined whether the ball has been correctly stroked while the ball is moving by visual observation of said projections.

10. A practice putting golf ball having a core, resilient material surrounding said core, a tough impervious resilient cover enclosing said resilient material adapted to be struck by a golf club and a pair of substantially conical projections axially aligned and projecting from opposite sides of said golf ball with their tips free of outside attachment and pointing away from the center of the ball.

11. A practice putting golf ball as claimed in claim 10 and wherein said conical projections have concave bases cemented to the golf ball.

12. A practice putting golf ball for use in practicing putting comprising a golf ball having resilient material therein and a tough impervious cover enclosing said resilient material and adapted to be struck by a golf club and a pair of; substantially conical projections axially aligned and projecting from opposite sides of said golf :ball with their projecting ends being free of outside attachment and pointing away from the center of said ball, each of said projections projecting from the ball a distance lying in the range from A to of an inch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,193,991 Cigol Aug. 8, 1916 1,730,176 Thrasher et al Oct. 1, 1929 1,978,137 Kohn Oct. 23, 1934 2,141,250 Perrault Dec. 27, 1938 2,309,475 Palrnieri Jan. 26, 1943 2,709,595 De Vries May 31, 1955 

